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Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Section is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 Excellence in EMS Awards. This year’s statewide EMS awards are hosted by the Emergency Medicine Learning and Resource Center (EMLRC).

“The department is honored to once again recognize the outstanding efforts of Florida’s men and women who serve their community with excellence in emergency medical services,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip. “Congratulations to the statewide EMS award recipients for their significant contributions to EMS in Florida. We are thankful for their lifesaving actions.”

The 2018 award recipients are:

EMS Provider of the Year: This award honors an EMS service that assumed a leadership role in EMS by achievement in the areas of quality assurance/improvement, patient care, public access, medical control, disaster preparedness, public education and/or training in Florida. 

Winner:  Town of Davie Fire and Rescue Department

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) of the Year: This award honors an EMT whose job responsibility is direct patient care and who has demonstrated independent initiative in the areas of quality assurance/improvement, patient care, public access, medical control, disaster preparedness, public education and/or training and support, involvement and dedication to their EMS community and profession.

Winner:  Arron White, Manatee County Emergency Medical Services

Paramedic of the Year: This award honors a paramedic whose job responsibility is direct patient care and who has demonstrated independent initiative in the areas of quality assurance/improvement, patient care, public access, medical control, disaster preparedness, public education and/or training, and support, involvement and dedication to their EMS community and profession.

Winner:  Jazlyn Zombo, Seminole County Fire and Rescue Department

Beth Rogers Nursing Award: This award recognizes the dedication and achievements of Florida air and ground transport nurses who have demonstrated enhancement of their profession through skill, participation and support of excellence in patient care.

Winner:  Michael Rushing, Sacred Heart Hospital

Larry S. Jordan EMS Hall of Fame: This award honors an individual for lifetime achievement in the field of emergency medical services.

Winner:  Debbie Vase, Sunstar Paramedics

Marilyn Crook EMS Pioneer: This award honors an individual for their efforts to advance the EMS profession through their visionary leadership, innovation and promotion of best practices by building internal and external partnerships.

Winner:  Carl Shank, St. Johns County Fire and Rescue Department

Friend to EMS: This award honors an individual or organization that is not employed with an EMS agency, but has successfully enhanced EMS through their partnership or promotion of EMS activities.

Winner:  Tender Care Medical Services

Raymond H. Alexander, MD, EMS Medical Director of the Year: This award honors a physician who serves as a medical director for a Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support or Air Service. The winner must demonstrate excellence in the areas of quality assurance/improvement and medical control, in addition to the promotion and utilization of new medical trends and technologies.

Winner:  Kerry Bachista, MD, St. Johns County Fire and Rescue Department

911 Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year: This award honors a dispatcher for outstanding efforts in processing a Florida medical emergency call.

Winner:  Crista Britton, Lee County Public Safety/Lee Control

EMS Educator of the Year: This award honors an EMS instructor or course coordinator who has made a positive contribution to EMS education in Florida.

Winner:  Louis Mallory, Florida Association of EMS Educators/Santa Fe College

Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Star of Life Award: Honors a health care professional or organization for outstanding achievement in the care of ill or injured children (18 years of age or younger) in at least one of these areas: education, clinical care, community service or disaster management.

Winner:  Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department including Justin Morris, Roger Alexander, James Peacock, Joseph Rhoden, Cullen Lavasseur, Joshua McCall, Cole Stanford, Kayla Stephens

EMS Injury Prevention: This award honors an EMS professional who has demonstrated outstanding initiative and promoted best practices to prevent injuries, in at least one area of injury prevention, such as motor vehicle safety, drowning, falls, burn prevention, etc.

Winner: James Crutchfield, Manatee County Emergency Medical Services

EMS Disaster Preparedness and Response Award:This award honors an individual who has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in developing response plans, made significant contributions to help prepare Florida for health and medical responses to significant emergencies or disasters, and has demonstrated leadership and initiative in the areas of emergency medical preparedness, education and response.

Winner:David Hudak, Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services

Awards will be presented at 5:30 p.m. on July 11, 2018 at the Caribe Royal in Orlando in conjunction with the State EMS Advisory Council meetings and the EMLRC’s 44th Annual Clinical Conference on Emergency Medical Services (ClinCon).

For more information about the Excellence in Emergency Medical Services award program, please visit www.EMLRC.org.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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